nic's recent activity
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Comment on Drunk raccoon found passed out in Virginia liquor store in ~news
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Comment on What are your predictions for 2026? in ~talk
nic Link ParentI’ve given up predicting a recession and am now predicting there will be predictions of a recession that never seems to come. Yes. Hopefully more likely than an actual recession.I’ve given up predicting a recession and am now predicting there will be predictions of a recession that never seems to come. Yes. Hopefully more likely than an actual recession.
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Comment on She fell in love with ChatGPT. Then she ghosted it. in ~tech
nic LinkI still can’t believe we have gone from the fictional movie Her to the reality. While this story has a somewhat happier ending, I was looking at top posts from the related subreddit and saw...I still can’t believe we have gone from the fictional movie Her to the reality.
While this story has a somewhat happier ending, I was looking at top posts from the related subreddit and saw someone whose AI boyfriend actually dumped her, effectively telling her she needed human help to process her grief.
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She fell in love with ChatGPT. Then she ghosted it.
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Comment on The truth about AI (specifically LLM powered AI) in ~tech
nic (edited )Link ParentI respect you, and your opinion. Let me clarify a few things? I never said it was useful to you right now. Eventually, in a decade or two, I think it will be so useful it will be unavoidable. When...I respect you, and your opinion.
Let me clarify a few things?
I never said it was useful to you right now. Eventually, in a decade or two, I think it will be so useful it will be unavoidable.
When I say something is unavoidable, I am not trying to tell you to stop hating on it, or to give up your fight. In fact I ended my statement telling you to keep hating.
But I am challenging you on your world view, so this is where I get a little more disagreeable and provocative. Keep hating.. I just don't see you winning your fight. Much like I don't see anyone winning a fight against our increased consumption of non renewable resources or carbon emissions driving global warming. But don't get me wrong. Don't let me being a Debbie Downer (sorry Debbie!) Don't let me discourage you from hating all of these terrible things.
To continue with my provocative stance. Frankly, it is not your place or my place to tell my local pizza store how to run their business or if they should or should not use LLM based technology. I initially missed the human interaction of talking to Raymond to order my pizza. But he has made his choice. People ordering pizza's from him via Slice or Uber Eats (the online ordering system you seem to prefer) means Slice or whatever takes a slice from his profits, because they are the ones to collect payment. Currently, the automated phone AI bot simply sends him a transcript of my order, and when I pay him, he gets all my money. And to be clear, AI does a better job of taking my order. It does a better job of understanding my accent than most people. And it always remembers what I ordered last time (creepy but useful) and I am largely a creature of habit. But again. It's his business. Not ours. For Raymond, what LLMs provide is already better. Hate it all you want, it doesn't change facts.
Even more provocative, still. You have already given up the fight. You just don't want to admit it. Computers have already killed jobs and automated decisions and removed empathy from the equation. It just happened so slowly you didn't realize you were the frog getting boiled. We used to have to pick up a phone to ask to meet someone, then go meet them to get stuff done. With the advent of computers we have seen a huge loss of empathy in the business world. I no longer need to visit the local bank teller to deposit my check. I can't talk to someone even if I want to in order to complain about the quality of the goods I just purchased. Computers have already reduced the needs for off all sorts of jobs and severely reduced the empathy we all feel for each other. Initially, they didn't seem that useful either. You could use a computer, but it was hard, and inefficient, and most people just chose not too. But eventually computers found a way to be more useful than not, more addictive than not, and now everyone has a little computer in their pocket, and now when I am in a low end restaurant, half the people will be staring at their digital devices rather than each other. We are already turning into the fat people at the beginning of Wall-E. LLMs are just one more step in getting us there.
Now, you might think that computers somehow made things better as well as making things worse. And this is the whole point of this reply. I think my fundamental disagreement with you is that LLMs already make things better as well as worse, and that each person will rationally choose to use an LLM because it makes their life a little better, while we continue to boil the frog and make things like the environment worse.
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Comment on What are your predictions for 2026? in ~talk
nic LinkThe Democrats take back the Senate and House (33%). Trump claims Democrats stole the election (95%) and Trump calls up everyone demanding that they change the outcome so that Republicans win...The Democrats take back the Senate and House (33%). Trump claims Democrats stole the election (95%) and Trump calls up everyone demanding that they change the outcome so that Republicans win instead (33%.)
OpenAI goes public (33%), but not before Anthropic also goes public (66%). The bubble does not pop fully yet (80%), but there are rumblings about a recession (80%) and OpenAI closes lower than its IPO price (33%).
Inflation is clearly out of control (66%). Housing. Energy. Technology.
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Comment on What are your predictions for 2026? in ~talk
nic Link ParentElon Musk reveals he is actually a time traveler. Elon quickly realizes this was a mistake after huge public and political backlash. Elon Musk decides not to reveal that he is a time traveler.Elon Musk reveals he is actually a time traveler.
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Elon Musk reveals he is actually a time traveler.
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Elon quickly realizes this was a mistake after huge public and political backlash.
- Elon Musk decides not to reveal that he is a time traveler.
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Comment on The truth about AI (specifically LLM powered AI) in ~tech
nic Link ParentI think it's worthwhile separating out the two things. OP is arguing LLMs will change everything. You are arguing this is bad. You can both be right. Yes, it's bad. OpenAI broke laws. AI will...I think it's worthwhile separating out the two things. OP is arguing LLMs will change everything. You are arguing this is bad. You can both be right.
Yes, it's bad. OpenAI broke laws. AI will likely result in significant loss of jobs. AI encourages less human empathy, and will fill the virtual world with slop.
But yes it is unavoidable, it is going to change things in ways we probably can't conceive right now, because barely three years in it actually helps real people solve real problems. e.g. I order my pizza from my favorite mom and pop store with LLM powered AI. Raymond no longer needs to pick up the phone to talk to me. I still chat with him when I go to pick it up, but I can see that ending soon as well.
We have seen all of this with computers/the internet/ smart phones. Before computers were used in work life, you had to communicate with the person IRL. My Grandmother was a secretary, because she could dictate and transcribe and type. Most of those jobs went away. Nowadays people send an email or a slack... or if they are feeling particularly empathetic, they will schedule a zoom even though you are already double booked. Before computers, the news you read was written by an actual reporter, and either put in a newspaper or put on a news show on TV. Nowdays the news is written by strangers and is at the top of our feed because it incites rage and that is good for clicks.
Keep hating on it. But keep experimenting with it.
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Comment on AI isn’t replacing jobs. AI spending is. in ~comp
nic Link ParentThe fact you have to train it means Oracle IDR is using old school machine learning AI. Eventually Oracle will use the newer Gen AI technology, where you won't even have to train it in order for...The fact you have to train it means Oracle IDR is using old school machine learning AI.
Eventually Oracle will use the newer Gen AI technology, where you won't even have to train it in order for it to incorrectly miscategorise invoices.
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Comment on What are some of your "life hacks" you use regularly? in ~talk
nic Link ParentThe plan is just a set of bullets in a word doc. Here is part of the plan from 2003... •Live in Europe (not done, visited in 2009) •Learn to surf in Hawaii (done) •Learn to motorcycle (done)...The plan is just a set of bullets in a word doc.
Here is part of the plan from 2003...
• Live in Europe (not done, visited in 2009)
• Learn to surf in Hawaii (done)
• Learn to motorcycle (done)
• Learn to golf (done)
• Write a childrens book (not done)There is just one current plan. I have copies of old plans. I create a new plan every 3-5 years.
I am not as functional as I might sound. I am looking at my plan right now and realize I need to book a fun international trip, because that has been on my plan for five years and still hasn't happened yet.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of December 15 in ~society
nic Link ParentTrump is enamored by any authoritarian with both power and money, and seems easily manipulated by those he admires, especially by Putin. Trump is also highly transactional in nature. It is hard to...Trump is enamored by any authoritarian with both power and money, and seems easily manipulated by those he admires, especially by Putin.
Trump is also highly transactional in nature.
It is hard to tell, did Trump sell America out for a few million, or did he sell America out for sweet nothing. Maybe time will tell.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of December 15 in ~society
nic Link ParentOr you know... Trump: We are going to Mars by 2028! Later: Urrrmmmm. Sir. That will cost rich people their yacht money. Also Later: Elon: If we go to the moon, then I still get my yacht money!...Or you know...
Trump: We are going to Mars by 2028!
Later: Urrrmmmm. Sir. That will cost rich people their yacht money.
Also Later: Elon: If we go to the moon, then I still get my yacht money!
Trump: We are going to the Moon by 2028!
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Comment on What are some of your "life hacks" you use regularly? in ~talk
nic (edited )LinkMy biggest life hack is a five year plan. My second biggest life hack is to always say yes even if I am feeling lazy, or to say no even if I will feel bad. I write down what I want to have...My biggest life hack is a five year plan.
My second biggest life hack is to always say yes even if I am feeling lazy, or to say no even if I will feel bad.
I write down what I want to have achieved in five years. Things like travel to Europe, go to burning man, ride a motorcycle, buy a house, start a business, learn to sail. The point isn't to force myself to do these things. The point is to think about what I want to do, and think about what small things I can do in the next year that will start me on that journey. Things like buy a travel book (this was decades ago), research burning man, schedule lessons, buy books on house inspections, create a website, read about sailing.
A friend said a mutual acquaintance once commented that the one thing he was impressed by me, was that I was always off doing cool shit (at the time I was learning to fire dance.) It's not because I am cool. It is because I have a five year plan, that becomes a list of small things to do that year.
As for the second life hack, I am not sure how to say this. I will always try to tell friends and family yes to anything that gets me outside of the house, even if I am tired and would rather sit inside on a digital device. If a friend wants to go party but I just want to chill and watch a movie? Yes, lets party. If my son wants to cook Butter Chicken tonight? Yes. Lets go buy the ingredients from the local Fijian store. On the other hand, if the only thing that is stopping me from saying no is a feeling of guilt, the answer is always No. No, I will not talk to you about Jesus/ my electricity bill. No I will not do your job, or no I can't give you both what you want (quality) and also by when you want it (time), pick one.
Little things:
Clothes: One style of socks only. Slip on shoes.
Travel: My dopp kit is always ready to go and continually evolves. Over the years I added eye mask, ear plugs, bottle openers.
Car: Contains a portable jump starter and portable tire inflator, plus a rag to check the oil, and water bottles.
Tech: Did you turn it off and turn it on again? Lets try that one more time while I watch you do it...
Quality of life: Audio books while driving, doing chores, mountain biking in the hills.
Edit: Calendar reminders with automatic emails! I get emailed weeks before I need to start thinking about someones birthday! Timers for shorter term things like remembering the pot is on the boil or clothes are done in the washer. -
Comment on Movies: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~movies
nic Link ParentIf you like 12 Angry Men, you might also like The Ox-Bow IncidentIf you like 12 Angry Men, you might also like The Ox-Bow Incident
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Comment on Movies: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~movies
nic Link ParentAmazing list. The French also do comedies... Le Dîner de Cons/ The Dinner Game, was good enough for Hollywood to do a terrible remake. Also Le placard/ The Closet, Ridicule, Delicatessen...Amazing list. The French also do comedies...
Le Dîner de Cons/ The Dinner Game, was good enough for Hollywood to do a terrible remake.
Also Le placard/ The Closet, Ridicule, Delicatessen...
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Comment on Movies: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~movies
nic Link ParentSholay is a blend of many genres. It mixes stylized violence with comedy, romance and westerns. It has iconic dialogue from an iconic bad guy. It also utilizes flashbacks. The point is that it is...Sholay is a blend of many genres. It mixes stylized violence with comedy, romance and westerns. It has iconic dialogue from an iconic bad guy. It also utilizes flashbacks. The point is that it is unlike most Bollywood hits from the 70's.
I'm honestly not sure who the Prime Minister documentary is targeted towards. It doesn't explain things to anyone unfamiliar with the events in NZ (the mosque shooting, the COVID lockdowns.) It doesn't have a lot of new things to say. Perhaps folks dislike this style of documentary. Perhaps a lot of folks are still upset by the lockdowns and ensuing global inflation.
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Comment on Movies: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~movies
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Comment on Movies: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~movies
nic Link ParentIt's not a race. The fewer movies you watch this year, the more good movies you have still yet to see. I've averaged about 200 movies a year over the last two decades, which means I have watched...It's not a race. The fewer movies you watch this year, the more good movies you have still yet to see.
I've averaged about 200 movies a year over the last two decades, which means I have watched over 4,000 movies. Based on your reviews, I would guess you have watched about 1000-2000 movies. At about 3,000 movies, it becomes much harder to find good movies.
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Comment on Movies: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~movies
nic LinkMy favorite fictional movie was The Roses (2025), it's not for everyone, but I loved the fact that it wasn't a straight remake of The War of the Roses, plus that it subverts all normal...My favorite fictional movie was The Roses (2025), it's not for everyone, but I loved the fact that it wasn't a straight remake of The War of the Roses, plus that it subverts all normal preconceptions in a deliciously weird way.
My favorite non-fictional movie was Prime Minister (2025), a recount of ex prime minister of NZ Jacinda Ardern. There is no narration. No explanation. They simply interweave footage of Jacinda being interviewed, alongside historical footage both professional and personal.
My favorite watch overall was Sholay (1975)... This is not your typical musical melodrama from Bollywood. It was recommended to me by an Indian co-worker as one of the best movies India has ever produced, and I fully concur. It has more in common with Quintin Tarantino than with Bollywood.
Biggest disappointment to me was Frankenstein (2025)... the beginning and middle were almost perfect. The ending was ruined for me. Del Toro had a character quote the ham fisted cliche almost verbatim... "Frankenstein was the true monster." No, del Toro, in this case, the true abomination was actually the ending of your movie.
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Comment on Supergirl | Official teaser in ~movies
nic Link ParentWell then, I know what Santa is getting me this Christmas.Well then, I know what Santa is getting me this Christmas.
I feel judged. I resemble this Raccoon more than I want to admit.